Andalo with children – the ski village below the Paganella

Andalo lies on a high plateau north of Trento, with the jagged peaks of the Brenta Dolomites on one side and the rounded ridge of the Paganella on the other. It's a village built for families. The hotels are often run by the same family for several generations, and playgrounds, activities and children's programmes are part of the plan from the start.

What makes Andalo easy with young children is that you can leave the car parked. The gondola runs from the village, the nursery slope is within walking distance and the ski bus is free. On a clear day you can also stand on Cima Paganella and look down towards Lake Garda. You'll find more resorts in the country in skiing holidays in Italy.

A week without moving the car

From the village, the gondola goes up towards Doss Pelà and the pistes. The ski school's group lessons all start from Rindole, a practice slope a short walk from the centre. If you're staying further out, take the ski bus, which is free, and you'll get there without riding a lift.

The sports centre in the village has an indoor pool, ice rink and climbing centre, and AcquaIN has more pools and a spa area. Around Lake Andalo, which fills and drains with the seasons, there's a cross-country trail that's floodlit in the evening. So most of what a family needs for a week is within reach on foot or by bus.

The Paganella ski area

Paganella Ski is run by Consorzio Skipass Paganella Dolomiti and links Andalo with Fai della Paganella on the other side of the mountain. The area has around 50 kilometres of pistes, 14 lifts and four magic carpets, from the plateau at just over 1,000 metres up to Cima Paganella at 2,125 metres. There's snowmaking across the whole area.

The view is a big part of the experience. From the top you can see the Brenta massif in one direction and, on a clear day, the Lake Garda area in the other. Save the summit for a clear day and take your break up there.

The lower part of the mountain is at low altitude. During mild spells, the upper pistes hold up best, and that's where you'll find the higher ski school areas.

Four ski school areas

This is the most important thing to understand for a family with beginners:

Area	Where	Lifts	Suits
Rindole	By Andalo	Four-seater chairlift and magic carpet for the ski school	The first day and all group lessons
Laghet	By Andalo	Two-seater chairlift and the Snow Kid magic carpet	Children who ski on their own at a gentle pace
Eskimo, Prati di Gaggia	1,333 metres, Andalo side	The Teresat four-seater chairlift and the Pingu I and II magic carpets	The next step, reached by the Laghet–Prati di Gaggia gondola
Rolly Marchi	1,450 metres, Fai side	The Rolly Marchi magic carpet	Families staying in Fai, reached by the Santel–Meriz chairlift

There's a special magic carpet pass valid for two hours on the magic carpets at Rindole, Laghet, Prati di Gaggia and Rolly Marchi. It's only sold at the ticket office. For the ski schools' chairlifts there are also punch cards with three, six or nine rides, sold at the ski schools' ticket desks.

Around seven ski schools operate on the mountain. If it's their first time on skis, read ski trip for beginners before deciding how long a course your children should take.

Ski school and snow nursery

One of the schools in the village is Scuola Italiana Sci Andalo, with an office at Piazzale Paganella. The group lessons are divided by age:

• Biberon Baby Soft, ages 3–5: weekdays 11.30–12.50, no more than five children per instructor.
• Baby Soft Weekend, ages 3–5: the same format on Friday afternoon and at the weekend.
• Ski Tour and Special Weekend, ages 5–12: two hours a day, for children who are ready for longer sessions.
• Special For Kids, ages 5–13: three hours in the morning, no more than five children per instructor.
• All Day, ages 6–14: five hours a day for children who already ski at intermediate level or better.

On the first day, the instructors assess the children and divide them into groups by level, and siblings can be in the same group if you ask. After Epiphany (6 January), there's a race every Thursday at Rindole, with the prize-giving on Friday in Piazzale Dolomiti.

Asilo Neve is the school's snow nursery for children between three and eight who are out of nappies. It's open Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 13.00. The nursery doesn't provide food, so pack snacks.

Lift passes and the helmet rule

In the 2026/27 price list, the child category covers those born in 2019 or later, junior covers those born 2009–2018 and adult covers those born in 2008 or earlier. For children who ski, the ski area works out free passes in combination with paying adults. Children born in 2019 or later who are not skiing can ride the lifts free of charge without a ticket. Online, a dynamic price applies that gets cheaper the earlier you buy. Current prices and conditions are shown when you book.

Helmet is compulsory on the pistes for all ages since the 2025/26 season. The rule applies to skiing, snowboarding and sledging, and anyone who skis without one risks a fine. For children under 18, it has applied since 2022.

Getting to Andalo

• By air: Verona is the closest, about 130 kilometres away. Bergamo, Milan Linate and Treviso also work.
• By train: the nearest stations are Mezzocorona (19 kilometres) and Trento (40 kilometres), both on the line between Verona and Innsbruck. From Verona, the train is direct. From Bergamo, you'll need to change on the way.
• Bus: Trentino Trasporti runs the Trento–Andalo–Molveno line from the railway stations in Trento and Mezzocorona. There are also taxis. Long-distance coaches such as Flixbus stop in Trento.
• By car: from the south, leave the A22 at Trento Nord and follow the signs for Altopiano della Paganella, around 20 minutes. From the north, leave at San Michele all’Adige and drive via Mezzolombardo, around half an hour.

How the different routes compare is covered in travelling to the resort – car, train or plane, and if you want to take the train all the way from Sweden, you'll find the plan in train to the Alps – how it works.

Andalo compared with its neighbours

Folgaria on Alpe Cimbra is gentler and closer to Verona, and suits families where everyone is a beginner. Andalo has a higher summit, longer runs and more going on in the village. Madonna di Campiglio on the other side of the Brenta is the next step when the children want a bigger ski area, and Val di Fassa takes you into the Dolomites. There's a comparison of family resorts across the Alps in ski holiday in the Alps with children, and before you pack your bags you can tick off the ski trip packing list.